The present invention concerns a method for improving growth characteristics of plants by increasing activity and/or expression in a plant of an SnRK2 kinase or a homologue thereof. One such method comprises introducing into a plant an SnRK2 nucleic acid molecule or functional variant thereof. The invention also relates to transgenic plants having improved growth characteristics, which plants have modulated expression of a nucleic acid encoding an SnRK2 kinase. The present invention also concerns constructs useful in the methods of the invention.